


A World That's Waiting Up For Me

by NicNack4U



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Because I don't know who it's from, Blanket Permission, Child Abuse, Complete, Completed Fanfic, Credit to whoever owns this prompt, F/M, Families of Choice, Friendship, Gen, POV First Person, POV Original Female Character, Post-Canon, Post-Movie, Prompt Fic, Rescue, Rescue Missions, So Kudos to you bc it gave me this idea, Title from the beginning of A Million Dreams, Two Shot, Writing Prompt, completed work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-21 07:50:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18139433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicNack4U/pseuds/NicNack4U
Summary: The circus performers helped her escape from her abusive uncle who had kept her locked away from the world.





	1. Chapter 1: A World That's Waiting Up For Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Second "The Greatest Showman" fanfic from me. I was inspired by a prompt (and full credit to whoever it belongs to) to write this and just had to write it all down before I forgot about it (my mind goes from one story idea to the next so quickly, one right after another and tends to overlap with the one I'm already doing and I'm like: "OK, my brain, no. Just no. Wait til I finish this one!" lol). 
> 
> So anyway, I'm so excited to be writing for this fandom again! I just love this movie so much!! 
> 
> This story is a Twoshot. After the second chapter, I will definitely be writing more for TGS! Stay tuned and please enjoy this fic! Comments, Kudos, emojis, keyboardsmashing, Bookmarking and/or silent reading are all welcome here! Please enjoy. ❤❤

 

 

 

 

_**A World That's Waiting Up For Me** _

_**Original Female POV** _

**_Angst, Drama, Child Abuse, Rescue._ **

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

        Ever since my parents died of a sickness when I was still just a small child, my uncle, my father's brother, has had legal guardianship of me. But he has  _not_ been taking care of me. 

 

He treats me like dirt. He abuses me, verbally and physically. 

 

As I am only fourteen, unfortunately, I cannot just take my wealth from him and run. Oh, but how I wish I could! 

 

I wish I had the bravery to just take my money back right from under his nose and run off, never to return to my uncle ever again.

 

His vast mansion feels more like a mausoleum or a cemetery. Cold, dark, dreary, unwelcoming and unfriendly. Just like my uncle. I suppose I can see why he chose to live in this... place he calls home. 

 

He doesn't even allow me to see my friends after school has ended for the day, so I must find clever ways to sneak out and back in.

 

Nor am I allowed to enjoy P.T. Barnum's Circus. I find Barnum and his... oddities... to be interesting, entertaining and even... endearing. Fascinating. Especially when Phillip Carlyle joined them as their Partner/Ringmaster. My uncle sneers at P.T. Barnum and his troupe, of course. Even more so when Carlyle joined.

 

But I love it. I love Barnum's Circus and his acts. I often find myself wondering what it would be like to join them. 

 

My friends sneak me out of the house whenever my uncle is at work, and our maids and butler keep quiet about it. I'm usually back in the house a half an hour before Uncle comes back.

 

Usually. Unfortunately for me, today must have been one of those days where he got home early, because he was there in front of the front door just as I opened it to let myself back in.

 

And he didn't look happy at all. Not that he ever looks happy in my presence, but he looked fantastically and epically angry this time. 

 

He moved out of the way to let me inside the house, glaring coldly and hatefully at me all the while. He slammed the door shut and stared at me. I tried to hold back my shivers and goosebumps. 

 

He crossed his arms and glared down his nose at me. "Sitting room. Now."

 

I gulped delicately and turned on my heel, doing as he told, mentally cursing him all the while. 

 

I sat down at a chair, making eye contact with him. Glare to glare. I braced myself for whatever abuses he threw at me this time.

 

And I didn't have to wait long. He slapped me hard on one cheek and harder on the other. 

 

I cried out each time, eyes watering, but no tears trailed down my face just yet. 

 

We stared hatefully at each other for a long moment, breathing heavily. 

 

"Stand up," he demanded through clenched teeth. And I obeyed silently and willingly, not wanting to make his abuse harder on myself than he was already. I knew the worst was yet to come. 

 

And I was right. As soon as I stood up, he didn't waste his time in hurting me. He kicked me in the stomach, which knocked the wind out of me and knocked me down to the floor. I cried out again as I fell. 

 

But he gave me no time to catch my breath or even get used to lying on the floor. He stomped on my stomach, kicked my ribs and spat on my face. 

 

"Worthless, useless child," he spat at me again. "I wish it'd been  _you_ that died from the illness, instead of your parents. You'd be better off dead, 'stead of them. The world would be a much better place with them back in it and you out of it." 

 

I stayed silent throughout his physical and verbal abuse, trying my best to hold in my tears until he left me alone. 

 

He did finally leave me alone, after giving me one final hard kick and another wad of spit aimed at my face.

 

Once he finally disappeared upstairs to his bedchambers, the servants all came rushing towards me to clean and treat my wounds the best that they could. They took me upstairs to my room when they were done, which was thankfully far away from my uncle's. 

 

"Get some rest, sweetheart," Rosetta, my favorite one of our maids, ordered me softly. "Goodnight, darlin'." She kissed my forehead and tucked me into bed. 

 

"Goodnight, Rose." We exchanged sad smiles as she quietly shut the door on her way out.

 

I sighed as I thought about my uncle and his abuse towards me. I wish, dream, I pray, I hope that somehow, someway I could finally leave this cold building of a so-called home. I want to leave my uncle so very much, but I don't know how. 

 

I can only hope that the answer will come to me soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2: From Now On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter. It's circus time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it, y'all. The end. The 2nd and final chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this story of mine. Silent reading, kudos, comments, keyboard smashing and/or emojis are all welcome here. ♡

 

 

 

 

             **Chapter 2: From Now On**

 

 

    Good luck and good fortune were on my side the next day. One of my uncle's friends bought two extra tickets to the circus and extended an invitation to my uncle and I. 

 

My uncle was reluctant at first, of course. Everyone who knows him knows how much he hates P. T. Barnum and his show.

 

"Come on," Finnegan "Finn" Matthews, my uncle's friend, goaded him. "Come on, Francis. It's only for one night, and only for a little while. Besides, when was the last time Samantha got to go out and have a little fun?"

 

I hid a smirk as my uncle tried not to growl and scowl like the wild animal he truly is. He's only like that around me. Just me. Everyone else gets the fake polite version of him.

 

"Alright," Francis sighs. "We'll go. But only for tonight." 

 

Fin apparently counted that as a victory, because he said a quick goodbye to us, telling us that he'd see us at the circus tent later. 

 

I held back a squeal of excitement as my uncle ordered me to go upstairs to my room. I ran up to it as fast as I could. 

 

I don't know how, but I feel like tonight is when my life finally starts to change for the better.

 

Little did I know how happily right I was going to be.

 

             ~♥~

 

 

 

     Later that night, it was finally time for the circus. I'm so excited! 

 

Not only am I going to enjoy the show, but I will also find a way to finally be free of my uncle.

 

"Remember what I always tell you, girl," Uncle Francis growled in my ear, gripping my arm tight. It hurt, but I tried not to show it. I sigh. 

 

"Yes, Uncle. Behave myself, stay quiet unless spoken to, don't make a fool out of myself, don't embarrass you," I rattled off his rules in a monotone. 

 

"Good girl. Keep that up and I may just not punish you when we get back home," Francis smirked.

 

I kept quiet, knowing that I would never be returning to his house ever again. No, my true home is here. At the circus.

 

"Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've been waiting for," Phillip Carlyle addressed the crowd, and we all cheered and clapped. The show had begun!

 

Oh, all of it was so amazing! Phillip Carlyle, the flamethrowers, the men who jumped over and through the flaming hoops, The Irish Gentleman, Tom Thumb, Anne and W.D. Wheeler's trapeze artistry, the animals. The songs and the dances. All of it is just so wonderful! 

 

Later, after the show, I stayed put right where I was sitting. My uncle growled out that he was just going to step outside the tent to say a quick goodnight to his high society friends and that I was to stay put, right where I was, until he got back. 

 

Staying quiet, I just nodded, waiting for him to leave so that I can hide somewhere in the tent until he goes home. 

 

I breathed a sigh of relief when my uncle finally left the tent. 

 

"Hey," I heard a voice on my right side suddenly speak. I startled a bit, turning to see who spoke. 

 

Oh! To my surprise, it was the Bearded Lady, Lettie Lutz! 

 

"Hello," I smiled shyly. 

 

She smiled sadly back at me. "I know of a place in here you can hide in from your uncle. He hurts you, doesn't he? He's cold and cruel to you."

 

I blinked in shock, not knowing how to answer her.

 

The Bearded Lady, Lettie, chuckled. "C'mon, kid. Lemme introduce you to everyone. I can see that you're a big fan of ours."

 

I nodded eagerly, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, yes! I like all of you. My uncle doesn't, though."

 

I shrugged. "Then again, he doesn't seem to genuinely like anyone at all."

 

"I like you, kid," Lettie laughed. "C'mon, come see what a real family is. My name is Lettie, by the way." 

 

"I know," I nodded as we walked together. "I know all of your real names. My friends do, too. And they like you all as much as I do. Maybe I could introduce them to you all sometime?" 

 

"Sounds good to me, kid. Hey, what's your name, anyway? I can't keep calling you 'kid.'"

 

"My name is Samantha. But please, call me Sam." 

 

"Sam it is, then," Lettie said, giving me a maternal look. It made me want to cry and smile all at once. 

 

We finally spotted all of the rest sitting at the back of the tent, gathered around and just talking.

 

"Hey, everyone. Listen up! This is Samantha. Sam, you know who they are," Lettie introduced us. She sighed sadly then.

 

I tried not to gasp and panic. Oh, no! Does she know my uncle hurts me?! How does she know? What am I going to do when Lettie tells them? What will they do? 

 

Lettie looked like she wanted to cry and scream as she spoke. "I noticed her and her uncle during the show. He was gripping her arm tightly and looking pretty mean."

 

Everyone had warm smiles as Lettie introduced me, but now their looks changed. They looked upset and angry.

 

"I can't stand bullies," Charles "Tom Thumb" Statten scowled. "They itch my skin." 

 

"Yeah, but don't worry, Sam," W.D. said. "We're here for you now." 

 

"Yeah, we are," Phillip, Anne and the others chimed in. 

 

 

"Phin," Charity Barnum said worriedly, clutching at P.T.'s forearm. 

 

They both silently communicated in the way that the really, truly in love do. The ones who are just so in sync with the one they love. I find it inspirational and I hope to have a love like theirs in the future. 

 

Barnum sighed and smiled sadly. "I can sort of understand. Charity's parents, her father especially, hate me because I came from nothing and made a name for myself all on my own. I wasn't born into money, so they hate me." He chuckled sadly and shrugged. 

 

"I think they always will. Charity's father also slapped me when her and I were children. I made her laugh as she was taking lessons on how to be a lady, and her father slapped me for making her laugh." 

 

I gasped and covered my gaping mouth with a hand. The others don't look surprised, though. He must have already told them before. 

 

Although I do feel awful about what happened to P.T., I can't help but feel relieved that I finally found someone who understands at least a little bit of the horrors I've been through.

 

"Well, anyway," P. T. emotionally and physically shook off the seriouness of the conversation. His showman smile is back on. "What do you say about joining my show? Be a part of our family?" 

 

I was surprised again. My hand dropped from my mouth, which was still gaped open. Is this real? Are all of my hopes and dreams finally coming true? 

 

I looked around at everyone. They were giving me warm and encouraging smiles.

 

I looked back at P.T., nodding and smiling. "Yes. Yes, I'll join you all." 

 

 

 

 

                    ~♥~

 

 

 

       A week later, O'Malley put up banners and ads featuring my face, introducing me as P.T. Barnum's newest act: The Happy/Sad Clown. 

 

I love it and the audience loves me too! 

 

I made children and adults of all ages laugh and cheer as I threw pie in people's faces as part of my act. 

 

I was dressed up in full clown costume. Rainbow curly wig, clown make up, a red nose, a bright suit of rainbow colors with shoes to match. 

 

In my hands were my pies and in my pockets were balloons. I can't wait to blow them up and twist them into animal shapes! 

 

I beamed proudly as the audience and my circus family cheered after my final act. 

 

This is everything I want. It's everything I need. And it's here, right in front of me.

 

 

This is where I wanna be. 

 

Oh and, Mr. Bennett from the Herald newspaper put in a review of our show a day later. He loved it! Yes! 

 

And not only that, but everyone found out that my uncle abused me when O'Malley wrote about it in the paper.

 

 

My uncle's reputation was never the same after that. Most people hate him now. But of course, there are some who believe that he is completely innocent and was just punishing me for being a spoiled brat.

 

 

I pay no attention to people like that and thankfully, neither does the majority of New York. 

 

But all that matters to me is my circus family. They saved me and I'm forever grateful. I love them all! 

 

 

 

 

         ~♥~ THE END ~♥~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, y'all. The End. Enjoy! ♡

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry, this story has a happy ending! ❤❤


End file.
